


You are the only exception

by Toomanyfandoms99



Series: (No Longer A) Secret Marriage [29]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, M/M, Secret Marriage, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 05:30:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15767577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toomanyfandoms99/pseuds/Toomanyfandoms99
Summary: It was a mutual agreement to go their separate ways.The bunker held nothing but relics of a different time and old memories and pain with dashes of happiness.  For most family members, it was time to leave the bunker behind.





	You are the only exception

**Author's Note:**

> The title was taken from the song “The Only Exception” by Paramore. I also included a reprise of “Magic” by Coldplay, indicated with ellipsis. Enjoy!

It was a mutual agreement to go their separate ways.

The bunker held nothing but relics of a different time and old memories and pain with dashes of happiness. For most family members, it was time to leave the bunker behind.

Jody, Bobby, and the wayward sisters found homes in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Donna returned to Wisconsin, Ellen and Jo tagging along to open up a bar that was the closest they were going to get to Harvelle’s Roadhouse. Charlie and Kevin opted to remain in the bunker, having long since enjoyed the isolation and lush nature that Lawrence, Kansas provided. Sam and Gabriel settled in Kansas City, while Dean and Castiel bought a cabin outside the city.

Everyone finally moved on to the next chapter in their lives.

————

Dean couldn’t believe this was real life.

He bought the cabin of his dreams near a lake, he just acquired his dream job, and he was living with the man of his dreams.

The cabin was more spacious than the one that Cas built for him in the dreamscape. The bathroom was bigger, there were two bedrooms instead of one, a large kitchen for Cas to experiment in, enough space for a large dining table, and a comfortable living room. Their backyard was twenty paces away from the docks to a sparkling lake. There were even picnic tables and plenty of room for visitors. 

And the best part? Their closest neighbor was a half mile away. They were isolated, but not too isolated. Their cabin was big, but not too big.

It was perfect, in Dean’s opinion.

As for his new job, it was at a mechanic’s garage on the outskirts of Kansas City, a fifteen minute drive away. The auto shop was locally owned, a nice family that didn’t ask too many questions about Dean’s past. The former hunter’s skills at fixing and maintaining his father’s Chevy Impala spoke for itself. It was enough for the shop owners to hire him and take him on his word. Dean even threw in a recommendation from Bobby, who he helped plenty at his old junkyard when he was younger.

Dean loves his job. He could fix cars all day and be completely content. He could wear his mechanic jumpsuit and let oil stain his skin and have heat engulf him while listening to rock music, and be completely content.

But that wasn’t all that Dean Winchester had.

He had a husband. A formerly angelic husband who now only answered to the name Castiel Winchester. A husband of ten years to spend the rest of his life with, a husband who looked as beautiful as the day Dean met him, a husband who was hopelessly devoted to him.

Castiel Winchester. Just thinking the name still made Dean swoon. Ten years, and Dean felt like he married Cas yesterday. Dean’s love for his husband had not wavered since they ran out to a church one night and made the most sacred vow a couple could make. Their love was tried and tested before countless juries, and they still made it here. They made it to a blissful and normal lifestyle with nothing world-ending to worry about ever again.

Dean made the most of every moment he had with his husband. When he wasn’t fixing cars, he was using his hands for more inappropriate tasks, anything to make Cas smile and laugh and hum and moan and whimper and look at him with such love in his eyes that it never failed to render Dean breathless.

Dean Winchester, for the first time, loves his life.

————

Castiel Winchester was a librarian.

Castiel knew that Dean wanted him to be a teacher. However, that job required extensive training and incredibly thorough background checks. Cas couldn’t afford anyone looking too closely at him, or at his husband. 

Thus, instead of teaching the leaders of tomorrow, he was keeping to himself and hiding behind bookshelves. Being a librarian was a quiet job, a good job to remain incognito and keep up his nice guy act. 

No one suspects the nice guy of being a former angel warrior who knows thousands of ways to kill a man.

Plus, Castiel loves being in the presence of books. Having so much knowledge around him gave him a thrill. There was so much to learn, so much to soak up. Cas was rarely bored at the Kansas City Library. Whenever he wasn’t working, he was reading anything and everything he could. In fact, he read so much that his eyesight started to fail him, and Dean had to get him prescription glasses.

Cas was oddly happy about having glasses. It made him feel truly human.

Castiel has a job that he enjoys, a cabin that he likes, and a man that he loves by his side. He couldn’t be better.

————

“You’re really pulling off the whole sexy librarian thing.”

Castiel rolled his eyes as Dean entered the cabin. He glanced down at his powder blue dress shirt and form-fitting gray slacks. He adjusted his thick-framed glasses to rest higher on his nose and closed the book he was perusing. Dean was waiting expectantly for a comment of some sort, undoing the top half of his jumpsuit so that a white shirt was visible.

Cas settled on, “you’re really pulling off the whole grease monkey thing.”

Dean studied his oil-stained hands and arms, then pretended to look offended.

Castiel smiled easily, then glanced at the oven timer across the living room. “Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. Go take a shower.”

Dean mock pouted. “I don’t get a kiss?”

Unamused, Cas replied, “not until you wash up.”

Dean sighed, shuffling off to the bathroom in compliance.

He reappeared three minutes before the timer was due to go off. Castiel was setting up the table, putting down the silverware when he felt Dean’s arms wrap around him. He set down a fork, then turned into Dean’s embrace. He wrapped his arms around Dean’s neck, smiling up at him. 

“Can I have that kiss now, darlin’?” Dean asked politely.

“Mhm.”

Dean leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, tightening his grip around Cas’s waist. They got carried away — as they were wont to do, these days — and kissed until the oven timer dinged. Both of them pulled away and grinned like idiots, not embarrassed in the slightest. Castiel slid out of Dean’s embrace, swaying his hips a little as he reached the oven — knowing how Dean always watched him.

They ate dinner and recounted their work days, as they normally did, then settled next to each other to watch a movie.

————

Sam Winchester had always wanted to be a lawyer.

He knew that’s what kids weren’t supposed to want, but he was never a normal kid. He was a kid that hunted monsters for a living, and all he wanted was a normal job. And now that the monsters were gone, Sam finally got his wish fulfilled.

He worked for the biggest law firm in Kansas City, so large that he could easily remain under the radar. He couldn’t afford any red flags when he was in the law business. He did his work well and got to go home to Gabriel at the end of the day, and that was enough.

Gabriel was something Sam never thought would happen. He never thought he would fall in love with a former archangel. He never thought he would have a house of his own and a job that he enjoys and a man that he loves, least of all the man formerly known as a conniving trickster. 

But Gabriel had changed a lot and shown Sam his true self. Sam had fallen faster and harder than he expected. Thankfully, his other half was there to catch him.

Sam would have to do something about the ‘other half’ thing. Perhaps a title that was more permanent…

————

Gabriel would have never thought that he could have this.

A house. A nice car. An awesome job. A ridiculously hot man that loves him.

If Gabriel hadn’t confirmed that all the djinn were dead, he would have suspected this was a dream.

He had a nice suburban house in Kansas City, where the neighbors respect the privacy that he and Sam needed. There was plenty of space, more than they needed. It was located near town hall, which was where Sam’s job was. 

As for Gabriel’s job, he decided to be an artifact collector.

He had developed a fondness for old relics from the past. He had often collected all sorts of odds and ends as a hobby when he was an archangel. This job was perfect because he got to examine each item for damage and sell them off to museums or rich art collectors. Gabriel was shockingly good at it. Not to mention the writing he did in his free time, when Sam had to work on cases or required peace and quiet. 

He was writing the rest of the Winchester Gospels.

Once Kevin had lost his prophet abilities, Gabriel started to have visions of his own, courtesy of his Father thou art in Heaven. Writing old visions of Team Free Will’s adventures helped them go away. And it figures that Chuck wanted the Winchester’s entire journey written down under the guise of fantasy novels.

He even had a pen name: Gabriel Winchester. 

It was so ridiculous a pen name that even fans of the Supernatural books wouldn’t even consider taking the monicker seriously.

Gabriel hadn’t told Sam about that one. He technically wasn’t a Winchester, but he was banking that he was going to be one soon enough.

Gabriel would be patient. Slow and steady wins the race, after all.

————

Gabriel was still blissed out from lovemaking when it happened.

Sam pulled him closer in bed, skin against skin, tilting his head to rest in the crook of Gabriel’s neck. 

Then, he whispered in Gabriel’s ear, “marry me.”

It took Gabriel a few seconds to even compute the words. Marry me. Marry. Me. Marry me marry me marry me.

Gabriel’s breath hitched as he looked into Sam’s puppy dog eyes. He exhaled, “I’m gonna need more than that.”

Sam laughed through his nerves, smothering Gabriel’s body with his own. Sam put their foreheads together and said softly, “I need you in my life, Gabe. Preferably forever. I never thought we would get this far, and make it here. I want to be with you in every way possible. You’ve become everything to me, and I love you more than I can say. So,” a black box appeared seemingly out of nowhere, Sam revealing a bronze ring inside, “will you marry me?”

Gabriel grinned. “Okay.”

That’s all it took for Sam to kiss him and kiss him like a madman, Gabriel giving just as much as he was receiving.

Once Sam’s kissing fever passed a moment later, he slid the bronze ring onto Gabriel’s right hand. Gabriel held it up for a moment, examining it from all angles, watching the light catch and reflect off of the metal. Gabriel hummed, genuinely ecstatic to have this ring on his finger after three and a half years of waiting.

He couldn’t wait to tote this engagement ring around and tell the family. Instead of mentioning that, though, Gabriel smirked and said, “I heard engagement sex is better than couple sex.”

Sam matched his smirk. “I was waiting for you to say that.”

————

“How are things?”

Sam smiled at Dean through their Skype call. “Good. Normal.”

Gabriel appeared on camera next to Sam, giving him a feigned angry look. “Not just normal, Sam.” He looked at Dean through Sam’s laptop. “Get Cassie. I wanna show you both something.”

Despite his confusion, Dean called for Cas, who appeared next to him. “What’s up?”

Gabriel grinned, then wiggled his ring-adorned hand. “That’s what’s up.”

Castiel gasped.

“I knew it, Sammy!” Dean exclaimed.

“I’m so happy for you, Gabe,” Cas said genuinely.

“I’m gonna regret this,” Sam said.

Gabriel wrapped his arms around Sam. “You already put a ring on it. You can’t take it back.”

Sam sighed. “Alright, fine.”

“Want me to spread the news around?” Castiel offered.

“If you’d be a dear,” Gabriel confirmed. “I’ll want full details.”

Castiel agreed, then Sam and Dean ended the Skype call.

————

“You’re not gonna believe what I found!”

Castiel rolled his eyes, hoping that Gabriel could imagine it through the phone. “What, Gabe?”

“Well, technically archaeologists found it in Rome, but you’re not gonna believe it! You need to get down here and see it.”

Cas huffed. “I’m about to go to lunch.”

“Cassie! I’m fifteen minutes away. You have an hour. Come to the museum now! It’s worth it, I swear!”

Cas sighed deeply. “Fine. I’m coming.”

“Yay!”

————

“Nice glasses, nerd.”

Castiel snorted. “I regret this already.”

“Oh, you won’t. Come on.”

Gabriel lead Cas through the museum and into the back, where supplies and artifacts were kept. He took him behind one of the shelves, where wall writings and paintings were held. Once they got to the end of the shelf, Gabriel motioned for Castiel to look.

It was a section of wall from one of Rome’s long-gone buildings, almost old enough to turn to dust upon touching it. The image was of three angels. One had bronze wings and brown hair, one had tawny wings and blonde hair, and one had black wings and black hair. The first angel held the hands of the other two angels, who were only half his size.

“Holy shit,” Castiel uttered. “It’s us.”

Gabriel grinned. “I almost didn’t believe it at first.”

“I don’t remember that being painted,” Cas said. “This is...insane.”

Gabriel chuckled. “That’s one word for it.”

“I had almost forgotten.” Cas emphasized both words, “we’re old.”

Gabriel sensed a hint of sadness in Castiel’s voice. He confirmed optimistically, “we’re just two old angels and who finally found happiness.”

Cas smiled. “Show me.”

Gabriel held up his hand, his bronze engagement ring glistening in the dim lights.

Cas oohed appropriately. “Is this a nod to your wings?” 

“It is,” Gabriel said. “Since you’re here, wanna get lunch in the museum cafeteria?”

Castiel’s expression brightened. “Food. Yes. Wonderful.”

Gabriel laughed. “You’re becoming more and more like Dean every day.”

————

Once Castiel and Gabriel settled in the cafeteria, the former archangel asked about the reactions to his engagement to Sam.

Cas replied, “Claire was shocked. Kaia thinks you’re trying to upstage their upcoming wedding, but she’s still happy for you.”

Gabriel guffawed. “Kaia’s hilarious, in a dry sort of way. Continue.”

“Alex screamed. Patience said, ‘it’s about time.’ Charlie fangirled. Kevin sends his congratulations, since he has to be the calm one around Charlie. Jody and Donna want to do a police escort at your wedding. Ellen wants to make the booze, which is the closest thing to acceptance you’ll get. Jo screeched loud enough to break a window, all due to Charlie’s influence on her. Bobby seemed genuinely happy, since he’s a secret fanboy and actually encouraged Sam to marry you.”

“Wait,” Gabriel blinked, “really?”

“Yeah. Dean told me that Bobby said to Sam, and I quote, ‘you’d best marry him.’”

Gabriel suddenly looked choked up. “R-really?” Gabriel cleared his throat to halt the tears prickling in his eyes. He blinked a few times. “Okay. Thought I was gonna cry, but I’m good.” A beat. “Did you get ahold of-”

“Yes. Jack jumped up and down like an excited puppy. Balthazar called you the woman in the relationship because you didn’t propose first.”

Gabriel snorted. “Typical. I still love that asshole, though.”

“He looked happy for you, even though he was trying to hide it.”

“Of course he is.”

————

“I went to visit Gabriel during my lunch break today.”

Dean eyed Castiel curiously. “Did you really?”

“He wanted to show me an old painting of us they excavated in Rome.”

Dean pronounced every syllable for dramatic emphasis. “Excavated?”

Cas smirked. “Depending on how you look at it, we both robbed the cradle.”

That one took a moment for Dean to sink in. “Because your mind is older while my body is older?”

“Correct.” Castiel took out his smartphone and pulled up the picture he took of the painting. “Here.”

Dean looked at the photo and side smiled, clearly not too bothered by the whole cradle-robbing situation. “You were cute, even as a painting.”

“That’s the closest you’ll get to a childhood photo.” Cas amended, “well, besides the old Greek statues that they sculpted using my body as a template.”

Dean blinked rapidly. “What now?”

Castiel laughed and chose not to respond, clearing the table and washing plates.

————

Castiel had taken to singing while doing chores. It livened up menial tasks. Sometimes, he even sang without meaning to, or knowing he was doing it.

Like now, for instance. He hadn’t become consciously aware of this, but he was in the middle of a song. Despite this, he still sang it in a hushed tone.

...Call it magic, cut me into two. And with all your magic, I disappear from view. And I can’t get over, can’t get over you. Still I call it magic. Such a precious jewel…

He always found himself singing love songs. Maybe he was becoming a bit of a sap like Dean.

...And I don’t and I don’t and I don’t and I don’t. No, I don’t it’s true. I don’t, no I don’t, no I don’t, no I don’t want anybody else but you. I don’t, no I don’t, no I don’t, no I don’t. No, I don’t it’s true. I don’t, no I don’t, no I don’t, no I don’t want anybody else but you…

Castiel was going to scold Charlie one of these days. He was pretty sure her playlists were specifically created to elicit reactions from him. The sheer amount of love songs that Charlie would play in his presence had him soaking up lyrics without meaning to, this song included.

...I wanna fall, fall so far. I wanna fall, fall so hard. And I call it magic, and I call it true. I call it magic...

Charlie definitely chose this song purposefully for Dean and Cas. But Castiel couldn’t find it in himself to call her just to reprimand her for subliminal brainwashing.

...And if you were to ask me, after all that we’ve been through. Still believe in magic? Yes, I do. Of course I do...

As he finished the tune, Castiel realized that Dean was watching him with a lovesick expression, his head resting uncomfortably against the doorframe.

Cas scowled and said, “less staring, more cleaning.”

Dean snapped out of his dreamlike trance, then complied.

————

Sam and Gabriel had talked about getting a dog for a while now. They finally had the guts to go to a dog kennel and adopt one.

They chose a Labrador retriever puppy with brown fur. Since Sam chose the dog breed, Gabriel got to name him.

Gabriel took one look at the excitable dog and said, “Soda. His name is Soda.”

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“What? His fur is the color of soda. It’s an amazing dog name.”

Sam looked at the Labrador retriever in Gabriel’s lap, panting happily and sniffing Gabriel’s clothes. He observed the dog and realized that Gabriel was right to name him Soda. Sam admitted, “the more I think about it, he looks like a Soda.”

“Aha!” Gabriel grinned, petting Soda’s fur. “I told you.”

————

Sam caught Gabriel asleep on the couch, Soda snoring in his lap, and felt a rush of contentment.

————

Cas wouldn’t let Sam and Gabriel’s dog leave his sight.

The former angel had fallen in love with Soda, and Dean was feeling a tad neglected.

Dean just wanted to have dinner with Sam and Gabriel and his husband. A simple night. He didn’t want to feel jealous of a puppy, but he sort of was.

Still, Dean allowed Cas to play with Soda and enjoy the puppy’s presence.

————

“Someone was a little jealous of Soda.”

Dean glanced at Cas as they entered their bedroom, keeping his expression neutral. 

Cas saw right through him and stood in front of him. “Looks like someone needed a little more attention.” Cas trailed his hands up Dean’s chest, stopping at the hollow of his neck. His deft fingers undid the top button of Dean’s flannel, his eyes desirous. “Do you want me to amend that?”

Dean’s breath caught in his throat, and it took a few tries to swallow. He felt Cas’s fingers brush against his collarbone as he hovered over the next button. Dean finally managed, “I would, darlin’.”

Cas started to unbutton Dean’s flannel, the former hunter pulling his husband into a kiss.

————

“This is,” Dean breathed, fishing for the word, “nirvana.”

Cas met his eyes, a playful spark in them. “It took you over a decade to come up with that one.”

Dean gave Cas a little peck on the lips. “Give me a break, darlin’.”

Cas rested his forehead on Dean’s. “Fine. Why say it now?”

“Nirvana is a state of perfect happiness. I’ve never felt that until recently.”

“I know what you mean.” Cas pressed kisses along Dean’s face, causing him to chuckle. “Let’s get some sleep.”

Dean kissed Cas one final time. “Good night, Castiel Winchester.”

“Good night, Dean Winchester.”

————

Claire and Kaia’s wedding was going to be something to behold.

They decided to get married in their new Sioux Falls home. It limited the hassle and allowed for their family to stay at a nearby hotel. They merely decorated the house and chose to hold the ceremony in their large backyard. 

Despite the simplicity of the situation, everything was extravagant. The food was fancy enough to be found in a five star restaurant. The backyard had a gazebo and strings of lights to set the mood. The painted white chairs were rustic yet comfortable. Planter boxes with all sorts of flowers and houseplants grew around the perimeter of the white picket fence — originally a joke gift from Claire to Kaia.

Everyone had driven in days before the ceremony to help set up, and it was shaping up to be something special.

————

“Claire. Hey.”

Sam and Gabriel paused in their early morning walk with Soda — who had to be sadly cooped up in the hotel room for most of the day — to find Claire walking towards them.

Claire beamed. “I wanted to meet this puppy I’ve heard so much about.” She knelt down, Soda immediately rushing towards her. “Hi Soda!” Soda sniffed her and jumped playfully, Claire laughing and petting the overexcited dog. “You’re so cute!”

“Our baby is more than cute,” Gabriel said.

Soda suddenly smelled food cooking, the dog trying to escape. Sam kept a vice grip on Soda’s leash. 

Claire laughed at the shift in attention and stood up, brushing off her jeans. “Okay, mission accomplished. I’ll see you lovers later.”

Gabriel said, “bye, Claire.”

Once Claire walked towards her house, Sam scoffed, “lovers.”

Gabriel registered Soda sit before them, panting and wagging his tail. He murmured to Sam, “should I call you fiancé every time I address you?”

Sam smirked. “Maybe not every time, but yes. Say that again.”

“Fiancé.”

“Again.”

“Fiancé.”

“One more time.”

Gabriel was suddenly very close, and Sam couldn’t complain one bit. Gabriel whispered breathily, enunciating every syllable, “fiancé.”

Sam closed the half-inch distance between their lips, keeping the kiss chaste and sweet. 

The moment was broken when Soda barked, vying for his owners’ attention.

Gabriel withdrew and chuckled at their jumping puppy. He muttered, “we’re trying to walk our dog, Sam. Lock it down.”

Sam just grinned and started to walk, Soda dragging them along by his leash.

————

Castiel found Charlie clipping off flower stems from select planter boxes.

“What are you doing that for?” Cas asked.

“I’m going to make flower crowns,” Charlie said, “on Claire’s orders.” She held up a red tulip to Cas’s hair as a color comparison. “Want one?”

“I don’t even know what a flower crown is, Charlie.”

As if expecting the question, Charlie pulled out her smartphone and showed him a picture.

Cas snorted. “I can’t believe that’s a thing.”

Charlie decided, “you’re getting one. It would look good on you.”

Castiel sighed and accepted the situation.

————

Being Claire’s personal servant was more work than Dean thought.

It was the morning of the wedding. Claire and Kaia had decided to sleep on opposite sides of their house until they saw each other at the ceremony this afternoon. That left Dean to take care of Claire’s every whim while Cas did the same for Kaia.

Dean didn’t understand the need for this drama, but it wasn’t his decision to make. He simply put on his paternal hat and weathered the storm as best as he could.

————

When Charlie walked into the spare room Castiel and Kaia were using, they knew something was amiss by her gait.

“What is it?” Kaia asked.

Charlie whipped out a flower crown from behind her back. “Here’s your flower crown, Cas!”

Castiel examined the surprisingly well-made flower crown, adorned with red tulips. “Huh.”

“Cute, right?”

Cas took the crown in his hands and placed it on his head. He looked in the mirror and shrugged. “I’ll wear it at the ceremony for Claire.”

“Yay!” Charlie exclaimed, taking her leave.

Cas cleared his throat and turned to Kaia. “Let’s continue with your hair.”

————

Dean and Castiel quite literally ran into each other a half hour before the ceremony was scheduled to begin.

They both laughed after bumping into each other, their standard suits in slight disarray.

“I’ve hardly seen you all day,” Dean said, giving Cas a quick up-and-down overview. “You look beautiful.”

“You look okay too.”

“Only okay?!”

Cas smiled fondly at Dean. “We’ll talk after the ceremony.”

Dean smiled back. “Okay. I gotta go,” he motioned where Cas came from, “that way.”

Castiel laughed. “I gotta go the other way. See you.”

“Mhm.”

They both awkwardly went in opposite directions, Cas finally letting a blush reach his cheeks.

————

Charlie screeched upon seeing Kaia in her wedding dress.

Castiel thought it was an appropriate response. Her wedding dress was risqué, a word he never thought he would use to describe Kaia Nieves. But the years had changed her, just as they had changed everyone at this wedding.

Kaia’s dress was white silk, backless except for a single flimsy tie holding the material together. The soft fabric stopped at her mid-thigh, and was so wonderfully indecent that Claire would surely faint.

“I know, right?” Patience chimed in.

“Claire’s jaw is gonna drop so far it’ll hit Earth’s core,” Jo said.

“That’s the plan,” Kaia said, perfecting her soft pink lipstick and adding a touch of mascara.

“This is gonna be awesome,” Alex declared.

————

“What do you think?”

Dean surveyed Claire’s dress. It was made of white lace, looking almost Disney princess-esque. Her hair was straightened to reach the middle of her back, a flower crown made of white roses perched on her head. She kept her makeup minimal, a brush of mascara and a lack of eyeliner making her look more fresh-faced.

“It’s nice,” Dean said.

Claire sighed. “You’re not that helpful. Where’s my other dad?”

Dean snorted, then said reassuringly, “you look great. Take a few breaths. It’ll calm your nerves.”

Claire took his advice, then said, “I have no idea why I’m nervous.”

“It happens to the best of us. When you see her, it’ll all melt away.”

Claire met his eyes. “Really?”

“Really. Now come on.”

————

Dean lead Claire down the aisle first, her dress getting a few gasps at the simple beauty of it. Claire stood to the right, Dean giving a little nod to Sam, who was officiating.

Less than a moment later, Castiel lead Kaia down the aisle, her dress getting smirks from the family.

Claire, meanwhile, had her jaw dropped so far that it reached Earth’s core.

It took a moment for Claire to recover once Kaia stood to the left of the gazebo altar. Dean and Castiel chanced a glance at each other on their respective sides.

Then, Sam began the ceremony, Claire and Kaia exchanged rings, vows were spoken, and the couple was pronounced wife and wife with a kiss.

————

Dean and Castiel didn’t get to talk until the ceremony was long over and they got to the hotel room.

“I like your flower crown,” Dean said belatedly.

Cas’s eyes widened. “Was I wearing this all night?” He reached for the crown atop his head and took it off, brushing his fingers along the wilting red tulip petals. “I was having too much fun to notice.”

Cas finally looked back at Dean, whose grin was radiant. “I’m glad you had fun. I did too.” His grin faltered. “Our kid is married, Cas.”

“Claire is not our child.”

“But she is,” Dean said somberly. “I feel old.”

Castiel said dryly, “someone call the paramedics.”

Dean chuckled, his bout of melancholy dissolving as quickly as it came. “At least we still have Jack.”

Cas smiled. “I saw him playing with Soda earlier. I don’t want him to ever grow up.”

“Me neither.”

After a pause, Castiel said, unprompted, “I love you so much.”

Dean placed Cas’s flower crown on his own head and smiled. “I love you too.”

Castiel leaned towards his husband, melting into the kiss that followed.

**Author's Note:**

> The final part of the Future Trilogy will be out in a few days. Kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
